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Proving Ground Waterfront Dining, HIGHLANDS, NJ

Proving Ground Waterfront Dining

4.6
4.6
1322 Reviews
$30 and under
American
56 SHREWSBURY AVE, HIGHLANDS, NJ 07732

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 34 times today

About this restaurant

  • Great for scenic views
  • Great for outdoor dining
  • Good for groups
THE STORY BEHIND THE PROVING GROUND…

WE TOOK A LITTLE HISTORY FROM THE AREA WHEN NAMING AND DESIGNING THE RESTAURANT AFTER THE SANDY HOOK PROVING GROUNDS. ESTABLISHED IN 1874, IT BECAME THE FIRST US ARMY PROVING GROUND TO TEST ARTILLERY AND OTHER MATERIALS. AND THAT’S WHAT WE ARE ALL ABOUT – TESTING NEW MENU ITEMS AND SPECIALIZING IN THE NEWEST CRAFT BEER AND COCKTAILS. WE LIKE TO MIX IT UP WITH OUR EVENTS, MUSIC, AND EXPERIENCE TO ALWAYS KEEP THINGS FRESH AND FUN.

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    American, Seafood, Contemporary American
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Thu, Sun 11:30 am–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 11:30 am–10:00 pm Brunch Sun 10:00 am–1:00 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, JCB, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive chef
    Bonnie Burton & Ed Sosa
  • Private party facilities
    The Proving Ground is the perfect spot to celebrate special occasions . With a stunning view of the water in our comfortable modern seaside space with spectacular food you cannot go wrong. Birthdays - Anniversaries - Bridal and Baby Showers - Engagement, Rehearsal Dinners, and Weddings. We have the space to do it all! Call today to speak with Ashley about booking your next private event with us. 732-872-2266 https://www.theprovingground.com/private-events
  • Neighborhood
    Highlands
  • Cross street
    Cornwall St & Bay Ave
  • Parking details
    Complimentary Valet in our busy times and seasons.
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Dancing, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Late Night, Outdoor Smoking Area, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Vegan, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Offers

  • Fall & Winters at The Proving Ground

    Multiple dates available
    Sun - 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM, 1:00 PM - 8:30 PM,Mon - Fri - 11:30 AM - 4:00 PM, 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM,Sat - 11:30 AM - 4:00 PM, 4:00 PM - 9:30 PM
    All tables will be assigned inside but we have the BEST views in town! Should we have a gorgeous day, there is a chance the patio may open and we will let you know. Throughout the week we have live music & FUN events happening, so be sure to check out our website, Facebook & Instagram for updated calendars! All tables have a 90 minute seating to give all of our guests the same opportunity to enjoy their dinner. If you are a party of more than 6, please call the restaurant to inquire for availability. 732-872-2266. Thank you!!! We hope to see you soon!

What 1,322 people are saying

Proving Ground Waterfront Dining reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.6
4.6 based on recent ratings
  • 4.5Food
  • 4.6Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.3Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • New Jersey

    Great for outdoor dining

  • New Jersey

    Great for scenic views

  • Monmouth

    Great for outdoor dining

  • Monmouth

    Great for scenic views

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Proving Ground Waterfront Dining offers a "great location" with stunning views of Sandy Hook and NYC. Guests appreciate "delicious food," a "diverse menu," and "friendly, attentive service." The live music and "lively atmosphere" enhance the experience, making it ideal for family outings and celebrations. Valet parking is a notable convenience.

1,322 Reviews
  1. Tres VIP

    St. Louis4 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    Great food and service. The noise level was more than we had anticipated, enjoying this spot with an infant,

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  2. Fred

    New York City19 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on April 11, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    Burger was very good! French fries were cool and seemingly left over from lunch. They felt/tasted as if they were sitting in the fry basket for a while. Disappointing. Bartenders were Ok, but they need to “keep their heads on a swivel”. Too much gathering at the open end of the bar without paying attention to the customers.

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  3. David VIP

    New York City31 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on April 5, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    Nice facility. Great location. Food and drinks were good. Nice diverse menu. Band started at 8:20pm. Makes it a bit difficult to hear your table of guests you are dining with. Moved to the bar from the dining room for after dinner drinks and to take in the band and vibe. We will return. Look forward to the outdoor space in the summer. Valet parking was a big benefit!

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  4. Douglas

    New York City1 review

    5.0

    Dined on April 4, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Highly recommending the Proving Ground…the food, the service, the atmosphere & the energy delivered once again…thank you to our server, “Des”, & the rest of her team for a really nice evening all around!

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  5. Martha

    New York City5 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 4, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Cocktails at the bar while we waited for our friends. Bar tender was attentive. Made an excellent Blood Mary, my wine was very good. Seated and ordered app, salad, calamari highly recommend. Dinner, Grouper was very good as was, shrimp scampi, ravioli in mushroom sauce. Toped off with Desert, have not been PG in a while all enjoyed their meal. Our waitress was wonderful. Will be going back and request our waitress

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  6. Elizabeth

    New York City1 review

    5.0

    Dined on April 2, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great for kid night- easy experience for parents thoughtful ideas for kids including character candy and easy going environment- kid friendly

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  7. Larry

    Philadelphia124 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on March 29, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 5
    Very understaffed! People bussing our table took our silverware and after I brought it to their attention it took 10 minutes to finally get utensils. As a result, my food was lukewarm by the time I began eating it. Parking is always awful but that’s to be expected. We’ve been here a few times previously and have never had an experience like this, but this certainly changes the way I feel about the establishment.

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  8. Melania

    New York City3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 27, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Food and service was perfect!! Kids nights was so cute and the kids loved it!!!

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  9. sara

    New York City3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 26, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The crab cakes were amazing, full of crab meat!!! Mahi was so delicious and fresh. My filet mignon was cooked to perfection. Attentive staff. Beautiful location overlooking Sandy Hook and NYC. Will be back!!

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  10. OpenTable Diner

    New York City4 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on March 23, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Beautiful restaurant, but the food was average. We went for Sunday brunch with 1pm reservations, only to be told brunch ends at 1pm. If I was in their position, I would include 1pm reservations for this…or at least inform the customers at the time of reservation. The bar staff were attentive and polite.

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FAQs

Proving Ground Waterfront Dining offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (732) 872-2266.

Proving Ground Waterfront Dining is rated 4.6 stars by 1322 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. New Jersey
  4. Monmouth
  5. Highlands

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 34 times today
Google Map for Proving Ground Waterfront Dining

56 SHREWSBURY AVE, HIGHLANDS, NJ 07732

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Cross street
    Cornwall St & Bay Ave
  • Neighborhood
    Highlands
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Thu, Sun 11:30 am–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 11:30 am–10:00 pm Brunch Sun 10:00 am–1:00 pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    American, Seafood, Contemporary American
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Complimentary Valet in our busy times and seasons.
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, JCB, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Bonnie Burton & Ed Sosa
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Dancing, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Late Night, Outdoor Smoking Area, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Vegan, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Phone number
  • Private party facilities
    The Proving Ground is the perfect spot to celebrate special occasions . With a stunning view of the water in our comfortable modern seaside space with spectacular food you cannot go wrong. Birthdays - Anniversaries - Bridal and Baby Showers - Engagement, Rehearsal Dinners, and Weddings. We have the space to do it all! Call today to speak with Ashley about booking your next private event with us. 732-872-2266 https://www.theprovingground.com/private-events
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